denisoff



Filed April 25, 1946 A. c. DENlsol-F 2,483,757

TEMPERATURE COMPENSATOR FOR ELECTRICAL MEA SURING SYSTEMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 27 K1 Maiale-w, (All, AIl

A. C. DENISOFF TEMPERATURE GOMPENSATOR FOR ELECTRICAL MEASURING SYSTEMS Filed April 23, 1946 IN ve /vro R La (1.1%, v-

Patented Oct. 4, 1949 TERTURE COMPENSATOR FOR ELEC- TRICL MEASURING SYSTEMS Alexander Constantine Denisof?, East 'liwickenv hiam, England, assigner to `West Road Co. Lim- Application April 23, i946, Serial No. 664,399

. En Great Britain May 1, 1945 Claims.

This invention relatesgto electrical measuring systems employing moving coil indicating instruments such as voltmeters, ammeters, ohmmeters and the like.

In some applications of electrical measuring systems, e. g. on aircraft, the apparatus is exposedto wide fluctuations in ambient temperature and compensation has to be provided for the change in electrical resistance of the component parts due to such temperature changes if the accuracy of measurement is to be preserved. In particular it is necessary to compensate for the variations in resistance of the moving coil of the indicating instrument which normally is wound of copper wire.

It is known to reduce such variation by connecting in series with the moving coil a resistance of negligible temperature coeflicient of resistance and of such magnitude as to swamp the variations inresistance of the coil. Such an arrangement however results in a considerable loss in sensitivity.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and efiicient circuit arrangement forcompensating for changes in resistance of a moving coil indicating instrument due to changes in temperature.

A further object of the invention is to provide a temperature compensated ammeter.

A still further object ofV this invention is to provide an electrical resistance thermometer which is fully temperature compensated.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the ,course of the following description with reference to the drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a wiring diagram of a compensating circuit in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 shows the arrangement of Fig. 1 as an ammeter;

Fig. 3 illustrates the form of compensation given by a particular kind of ohmmeter for voltage variations; and

Fig. 4 shows an .arrangement using this ohmmeter as a resistance thermometer.

Referring now to Fig. 1, which shows a wiring diagram of,` a compensating circuitincluding a moving coil indicating instrument, the coil R5 of the instrument is connected in one diagonal arm CD of a bridge made up of four resistances R1, R2, Rs and R4. Connected between the terminals AB of the bridge is a resistance R7 and also connected between these terminals is a source of potential `E and a further resistance Re in series. Ignoring the' resistances Re and R1 it even if 'the resistances R1-R4 have a zero temperature coeiilcient of resistance the indications of the instrument will be aiected by temperature changes since the resistance of the coil R5, which may be wound of copper wire, will depend on temperature.

It may be shown however that the over-all temperature coeiiicient of the system, illustrated in Fig. 1, may be reduced substantially to zero by a correct selection of the values and temperature coeilicients of Re and R7.

Considering the network of resistances R1 to R7:

Let r1 and r2 be the bridge resistances across A, B, and C, D, respectively, when the moving coil resistance R5 is infinite, and let lation 1 'i 52)( 1+ r2 1 +R7 and as a function of the battery voltage E, by means of the relation (RzRa-R4Ri) 1 E TIR R5 R5 R5 (l JFEXHFE) 'I'hese two expressions for i2 are correct, to the iirst order of approximation, for small values of i2, that is, for i2 l. v

It is desired to compensate the current in i wia-aa) 2 TZR through the moving coil resistance R5 for changes in the value of R5 with temperature by a suitable choice of the values and temperature coefficients of Ra and R1.

Let us denote so 1 ifa-ficticia Now, f is the only temperature variable factor in the expression for the moving coil current in, so that we may consider the variation of f alone. Since temperature variations oi Re will act in the same direction as those of Rs we may choose Re to have a zero temperature coefllcient, and we may note that temperature variations of R1 are in the opposite direction to those of Rs, and thus, will give the desired eiect of temperature compensation.

Let Rs and Rv be the values of these resistances at the reference temperature t=, and let as and a1 be their temperature coeiiicients respectively. We may denote R R, R 1 Laces-.e then attemperature t=t,

f. RTFM where F(t2) and F1(t) are some quadratic functions of t.

Now, for optimum compensation, the first order term must vanish, that is Ta R1 giving a a (1+R0+fi g 7' as (Het) and 411 T z TiRs R 1=[ s(1 Ra) 1](114 Ro) This formula gives the value of the shunt resistance R1 for any particular moving coil of resistance R which is to be temperature compensated. The values of wr, n and Re are not Ra=2K. and Rs=3K, R'z will equal 1.93K.v For these values the ratio ia/ is equal to K 1.2K 1.2K.5K(1+2) 1+ Therefore, using this arrangement across a 4 low resistance, which is small compared with the total resistance of the bridge circuit, we can obtain a temperature compensated instrument with a loss in the maximum sensitivity of only 1:18 which compares very favourably with instruments using a large swamping resistance.

The arrangement of the present invention is particularly valuable for use in the construction of a resistance thermometer using as an indicating instrument the 300 compensated ohmmeter described in U. S. Letters lPatent to Smith, No. 2,409,963, granted October 22, 1946. In this instrument compensation for voltage iluctuations is effected by means of an electromagnet which controls the total ux in the air gap in which the coil moves.

In one circuit arrangement, described in the aforesaid patent, the moving coil is connected in a. bridge circuit between a tapping on the winding of the compensating electromagnet and the join of two series connected resistances, one of which may be a fixedresistance and the other the bulb of a resistance thermometer. The ends of the lcompensating winding are joined with the terminals of a battery and respectively with the other ends of the fixed and temperature variable resistances.

With this voltage compensating arrangement of two magnetic elds acting on a single moving coil, the relation between the deflection of the moving coil and the battery voltage E is of the form C0=aElb1J2 where a, b and c are constants depending on the inten-sity kof magnetisation of the permanent magnet, the geometrical configuration of the instrument, and the mechanical properties of the hair-springs.

The right hand side of this relation represents the displacing torque on the moving coil, the flrstterm being the contribution of the permanent magnetic field, and the second term that of the-electromagnetic eld which4 is in the opposite direction to the first. The left hand side represents the restoring torque due to the two hairspring-s, placed at the opposite ends of the moving coil shaft, and this torque is directly proportional to the deflection 0, from the central zero position.

As shown by this expression, the readings of the instrument (i. e. the deection angle 0) are not completely independent of the battery voltage E, asI for example, is the case with instruments of the crossed-coil and ratiometer types. In fact, the relation 0 ver-sus E maybe written in the form which represents a parabola, with its vertex uppermost and its axis parallel to the axis of 0. This parabola is shown in Fig. 3. The constants ev and Ev are the two coordinates of the vertex, and they are connected with the instrument constants a, b and c, by means of the relations By the choice of suitable values for the coni of displacing the parabola vs. E with respect to its normal (i. e. room temperature) position, thus increasing the errors corresponding to the minimum variations in readings with changes in the voltage, that is corresponding tothe region of the parabola near its vertex.

Changes in the resistance of the control coil have the eiect of changing the ratio of the lpermanent magnetic to the electromagnetic field,

and are responsible for displacements of the parabola along the voltage axis E, While changes in the resistance of the moving coil are responsible for displacements along the deflection axis 0.

The errors due to the change in resistance of the moving coil of this instrument may be removed by the use of the present invention while those due to the change in resistance of the control coil may be reduced irl/practice to an acceptable figure by means of/affspecial circuit arrangement. /f

Referring now to Fig. 4/there is shown the circuit of a resistance thermometer which uses the compensated ohmmeter described in the above mentioned Patent No. 2,409,963. This circuit is generally the same as that of Fig. l except that the control coil CC of the ohmmeter replaces the resistance Rs of Fig. 1 while the resistance bulb RB of the thermometer, which includes a resistance having a high temperature coecient of resistance, replaces the resistance R3 of substantially zero coefficient. As in Fig. 1 the resistances R1, R2 and R4 have a substantially zero temperature coefficient.

The resistance bulb RB which may be located at a distance and connected with the bridge by i the desired compensation is also to be obtained the instrument will be compensated -for both temperature and voltage variations.

Although this compensation is not exact over the full range it is found in practice that in a particular instrument the required accuracy can be obtained over the full range of temperature and voltage variations normally specified lfor aircraft instrumenta The arrangement is easily adjusted to suit varying conditions of.operation, for the bridge resistances R1, R2 and Rimay be simply controlled to allow for variations in the resistance bulb, and also to regulate the total current consumption so that for a single size of control coil a correct value of ux may be obtained over a. Wide range of operating conditions.

The present invention thus provides an lmproved circuit arrangement for compensating a moving coil instrument against inaccuracies due to variations in temperature without too great a decrease in sensitivity, which may be used with any type of moving coil instrument. The invention also provides an improved resistance `thermomet'er which is effectively compensated against change in temperature and changes involtage of the supply battery.

In the above description and in the appendent claims the expression arm in connection with a bridge network is used to denote that part of the network connected'between the terminals A and D, D and B, B and C, or C and A of Fig. 1 while the expression diagonal arm is used to denote that part of the network connected between the terminals A and B or C and D.

I claim:

1. A temperature compensating arrangement,

for an indicating instrument having a moving coil wound with wire having an appreciable temperature coemcient of resistance comprising a bridge network having four arms, each constituted by a resistance having a substantially Vzero means of long leads, is exposed to the temperature to be measured and its changes in resistance control the current flowing through the moving coil MC of the ohmmeter.

'Ihe instrument is itself exposed to ambient temperature changes but may be compensated as follows. As regards changes in resistance of the` moving coil MC complete compensation may be obtained by selecting R7 to have a particular magnitude and temperature coeiicient as described above with reference to Fig. l. As regards changes in resistance of the control coil CC, such changes may in part be swamped by the resistance of the bridge connected in series with it. However, these changes in resistance operate to vary the total current supplied by the battery,E and they are therefore equivalent to changes in potential of this battery. That is to say so far as the control coil is concerned changes in temperature at constant voltage and changes in voltage at constant temperature produce exactly the same results. It follows therefore that since the desired working temperature range will be known the resistance variations of the control coil and hence the equivalent voltage variation may be estimated. Accordingly if the ohmmeter is designed to give the desired compensation for a givenrange of battery voltage variations increased to include the voltage variation representing the temperature range over which temperature coecient, and two diagonal arms,

one constituted by the moving coil of the instrument and the other constituted by a source vof potential in series with a resistance and a further resistance in parallel with the said source and the series resistance, said further resistance being of such magnitude and having such a temperature coeicient that the temperature coefllcient of the circuit is substantially zero.

2. An electric resistance thermometer circuit comprising an indicating instrument compensated against the effects of changes in the ambient temperature having a moving coil and a xed control coil for compensating the instrument against variation in potential of a source' of E. M. F., a bridge network comprising four arms and imo diagonal arms, three arms of which are constituted by resistances each having a substantially zero temperature coeillcient and the fourth arm of which is constituted by a reand'in shunt with the source and control coil a further resistance of such magnitude and temperature coeicient that the effects of temperature changes on the moving coil of said instrument are eliminated.

3. A temperature compensating arrangement for an indicating instrument *having a moving coil wound with wire having an appreciable tem- 7 perature coefiicient of resistance, comprising a bridge network having four resistive arms and two diagonal arms, one diagonal arm being constituted by the moving coil of the instrument and the other diagonal arm comprising a resistance of such magnitude and temperature coeicient that the temperature coeiiicient o! the network as a whole is substantially zero.

4. A temperature compensatingarrangement for an yindicating instrument having a moving coil wound with wire having vau appreciable temperature coefficient of resistance, comprising a bridge v,network having four resistive arms and `two diagonal arms, one diagonal arm being constituted by the moving coil of the instrument yand. the other diagonal arm being constituted by a source of potential in series with a resistance and A Number man? ing coll of the instrument and the other diagonal arm being constituted by a source oi' potential in series with a resistance having a substantially zero temperature coefficient and a further resistance in parallel with the said source and the series resistance, said further resistance having a positive temperature coetiicient and a magnitude determined by the formula wherein a1 and a are the temperature coefficients of the said further resistance and of the moving coil respectively, Rn is the resistance of the moving coil, Re is the resistance of the series resistance and rv: and n are the bridge resistance across said one diagonal arm and said other diagonal arm respectively.

ALEXANDER. CONSTAN'IINE DENISOFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of'record in the le of this patent:

I UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,193,076 Schon Aug. 1, 1916 1,667,624 Corson et al. Apr. 24, 1918 2,016,660 Weeks Oct. 8, 1935 2,175,890 Glowatski Oct. 10, 1939 

